Attachment for pianos.



A. J, KITTEL.

ATTACHMENT FOR PIANOS.

APPLICATION FILED 1UNE22. 1916.

1,21 9,747. Patented Mar. 20, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

Ila-:3

A. J. KITTEL.

ATTACHMENT FOR PTANOS.

APPLICATION FILED 1UNE22. 1916.

I1 ,21 9,747 Patented Mar. 20, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

avwemtoz SHOT/Amp A. J. KITTEL.

ATTACHMENT FOR PIANOS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 22. 1916.

'1 ,21 9,747. Patented Mar. 20, 1917.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

AUGUST J. KITTEL, OF TORRINGTON, CONNECTICUT.

ATTACHMENT FOR PIANOS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 20, 1917.

Application filed June 22, 1916.' Serial No. 105,276.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AUoUs'r J. KITTEL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Torrington, in the county of Litchfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in- Attachments for Pianos; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others shilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates generally to pianos, and more particularly to an attachment for pianos.

Heretofore much difficulty has hen experienced in teaching persons to play a piano or organ, owing to the fact that there is a great tendency on the part of the person of lowering the wrists. It is therefore the object of this invention to overcome this difiiculty, and to this end, it resides in the provision of a rail which extends across the front of the piano in advance of the keys thereof and disposed in a plane spaced a short distance above said keys, said rail being operatively connected to a stop for limiting the movement of the keys, should the player allow his wrists or hands to engage the same.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which may be constructed as a fixed part of the piano, or which may be readily attached to pianos and organs of any description.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a rail of this character which may be folded into inoperative position when desired.

An additional object of the invention is to provide such a-device which is of simple, strong, durable and inexpensive construction, ellicient and reliable in operation, and well adapted to the purposes for which it is designed.

lVith these and other objects in view, the in ntion consists of certain novel features of construction, and the combination and ar- .angement of parts as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the specification, and in which similar reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the front a piano, showing the application of a device constructed in accordance with this invention thereon;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view through the key supporting portion at the front of the piano, showing in side elevation the construction of the supporting brackets and the L-shaped arms of the horizontal rail, said rail being in its normal position;

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the rail in its depressed position;

Fig. 1 is a similar view showing one of the L-shaped arms in partly folded position;

F is a similar view showing the arm in its completely folded position;

Fig. 6 is a fragmental perspective view of the front of a piano, illustrating a modified form of the invention applied thereto, said modified form being in its extended or operative position.

Fig. 7 is a similar view showing the modified form in its closed or inoperative position;

Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional view through the key-supporting portion of the piano illustrating the modified form in its extended position;

Fig. 9 is a similar view showing the hori- Zontal rail of the modified form in its depressed position;

Fig. 10 is a similar view showing the modified form in its folded position;

Fig. 11 is a detail sectional view illustrating the manner in which the pivot points of the horizontal portions of the L-shaped arms are engaged in openings when said arms are folded;

Fig. 12 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the members for pivotally supporting the L-shaped arms.

Fig. 13 is a perspective view of the front of the piano illustrating the further modification of the device applied thereto;

Fig. 1 1 is a longitudinal sectional. View through the drawer of this latter modified form showing the rail in its operative position, and in dotted lines, the position of the rail in its half-way folded position; and

Fig. 15 is a perspective view of one of the members for pivotally supporting the L- shaped arms.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, a conventional piano is shown at A, said piano having the usual forward 'key supporting portion 13 and the usual plu 'ality of keys C. Disposed beneath the forward end of the keys C and extending longitudinally of the forward portion B of the piano is a horizontal bar 1, said bar 1 being movable vertically to engage said keys and comprising in effect a stop for limiting the movement of the same. It is to be understood that when this stop or bar 1 is actuated the keys are prevented from being actuated. Operatively connected with the bar 1 is a movable member which extends across the front of the piano in advance of the keys thereof and disposed in a plane spaced short distance above said keys.

In Figs. 1 to 5 of the drawings this member shown as con'iprisino' a horizontal rail 2 having a pair of arms 5 attached to the same at one of their ends and having their other ends engaging vertically extending pins 4. carried by the stop or bar 1. These arms 3 are of substantially ia-shaped configuration, and composed of a pair of longitudinally adjustable horizontal links and a pair. of longitudinally adjustable vertical links (5, the lowermost link (5 being pivot-ally connected to the forwardmost link 5 as at 7, said pivotal connection being such that the links 5 will fold upwardly on the links 6, but will not fold downwardly upon the same as will be readily understood. The uppermost link 6 is rigidly attached in any suitable manner to the rail 2 at preferably its forward edge for a purpose to be described. The rear link 5 is provided with an upturned and recessed end 8 to effect the aforesaid engagement with the pins rcarried by the bar 1.

The supporting elements for positioning the rail 2 in place are shown in Figs. 1 to of the drawings as comprising a pair of slidable bars 9 mounted in suitable lJ-shaped guides 10, and retained in position thereon by thumb screws 11. Pivotally mounted to the forward ends of the bars 9 is a pair of vertical or longitudinally adjustable brackets 12, the latter being disposed at the opposite ends of the rail 2 and provided with suitable pivot bolts 13, whereby said rail 2 is pivotally mounted at its rear edge. By having the brackets 12 and the arms 8 both adjustable, it may be seen that the rail 2 can be easily adjusted vertically to suit the desire of the player. It may also be seen that the rail may be swung under the forward portion of thepiano, owing to the fact that both the brackets and the arms are foldable. In operation of this form of'the device, when the player accidentally or unconsciously rests.

his wrists upon the forward edge of the rail 2, the forward edge of the latter is depressed, thereby causing the arms 3 to press up wardly at their ends 8 and move the bar 1 into engagement with the keys of the piano. This movement will be readily understood owing to the fact that the upper link 6 is rigidly attached to the rail 2. As soon as the player raises his wrists from the rail. 2, the latter is moved into its normal position, owing to the fact that the bar 1 is of suflicient weight to over-balance the rail 2 and the arms 3.

When it is desired to fold the rail under the forward portion B of the piano, the horizontal links 5 of the arms are folded upwardly upon the vertical links 6 of the arms, as shown by the dotted line position in Fig. 2 of the drawings. Nextthe connecting ele ments securing the vertical lin are loosened and the latter folded into the position shown in Fig. l of the drawings. When in this position. the brackets 12 are swung downwardly and rearwardly under the key-supporting portion of the piano and retained thereunder by any suitable means.

In Figs. 6 to 12 of the drawings, a modified form of the invention is shown for ac oomplishing the same result. In this form of device, a drawer-like member l) is slidabl v mounted in recessed position E in the key supporting portion B of the piano, and o tending upwardly from the upper side of this member D are pairs of spaced lugs 1-1, the upper edges of which are provided with alined notches 15 to receive the pins 16 which extend laterally in opposite directions from a pair of L-shaped arms 17. The horizontal portions of these arms 17 are slidably engaged with suitable openings arranged in the aforesaid stop or bar 1. The upper ends of the vertical portions of the arms 17 are pivotally connected to a rail 20, as shown. When the rail 20 is in its operative position, the pins 16 are disposed in the notches 15 of the lugs 14 and provide a pivotal mounting for the rail 20 and the arms 17. As the upper ends of the vertical portions of the arms 1'? are pivotally connected to the rail 20, it may be seen that when said rail together with the arms is raised. vertically until the pins 16 are disengaged from the notches 15, the rail and arms may be swung into a flat folded position. lVhen 'in this position, the member D may be slid inwardly into the forward portion B of the piano and concealed from view as shown in Fig. 10 of the drawings.

In Figs. 13, 1e and 15 a further modification of the invention is shown in which the arms 17' are permanently pivoted between pairs of lugs 21 carried by straps 22, which are in turn hinged to the drawer-like 11. ember D, so that the rail 20 may be swung downwardly and the member D slid into the forward portion B of the piano in the same manner as the form shown in F 6 to of the drawings. The horizontal portions of the arms 17 of this modification are connected to the bar 1 in a manner similar to that shown in Figs. 8, 9 and 10. The hinges ks together 7 of the straps 22 are so positioned with respect to the lugs 21 that when said straps are swung so as to move the rail 20 to its folded position, the horizontal portions of the arms 17 and the bar 1 connected thereto will not be raised into engagement with the keys of the piano.

Yvhen originally constructing a piano, either of the forms of device shown in Figs. 6 to 15 of the drawings may be rigidly or initially formed therewith, but when it is desired to apply a device of this character to a piano or organ already constructed, the form of device shown in Figs. 1 to 5 of the drawings is to be used, as obviously this form needs no special adaptation of the piano for its application thereto.

The three ways herein shown and desi'rihed for :nrrolnplishing the object ol the invent inn all comprise the same er' sential. eleinen for in allCQ, all are composed of a llllih Aiiililll bar for holding the keys of the piano against nio'venient afler said bar has been moved into engagcn'ient with said keys, a rail adapted to be engaged by the wrists of the player of the piano, and supporting and connecting means for supporting the rail in advance of the keys of the piano and in a plane spaced a short distance above said keys, and operatively connecting it with the bar for actuating the latter, said means including a slidable member mounted upon the forward key supporting portion of the piano. In the first form shown and described, the slidable bars 9 compose the above referred to slidable member, while in the other two forms, the drawer member D composes this element. The supporting and connecting means just referred to in addition to the slidable member includes both the brackets 12 and L-shaped arms 3 in 1 to 5 of the drawings, while in the remaining figures it includes only the L- shaped arms 17. The pivotal axis of the rail 2 in Figs. 1 to 5 is along its rear edge, while the rail 20 shown in Figs. 6 to 15 has its :lulcrum disposed within the length of the arms 17.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the device will be readily understood without a more extended explanation.

its numerous other changes in form and proportion may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of this invention, I do not wish to be limited to the exact constructioi'is herein shown and described other than that set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination with a piano; of a movable horizontal wrist engaging member extending across the front of the piano in advance of the keys thereof and disposed in a plane spaced ashort distance above said keys, a movable stop disposed adjacent said keys for holding the latter against movement after said stop has been moved into engagement with said keys, and an operative connection between said member and said stop to actuate the latter upon actuation of the former.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with a piano; of a verti'ally movable pivotally supported horizontal wrist engaging member extending across the front of the piano in advance of the keys thereof and disposed in a plane spaced a short distance above said keys, a movable stop disposed adjacent said keys for holding the latter against movement after said stop has been moved. into engagement with said keys, and an operative connection bctween said member and said stop to actuate the latter upon the actuation of the former.

:1. In a device of the class described, the conil'iination. with a piano; of a horizontal vertically movable pivotally supported wrist engaging rail extending across the front of the piano in advance of the keys thereof and disposed in a plane spaced a short distance above said keys, a vertically movable horizontal bar disposed beneath said keys for engaging and holding the latter against movement after said stop has been moved into engagement with said. keys, and L- shaped arms having one of their ends secured to said ail and having their other ends in engagement with said bar to actuate the latter upon actuation of the former.

4;. In a device of the class described, the combination with a piano; of a stop disposed adjacent the keys of the piano for holding the latter against movement after said stop has been moved into engagement with said keys, a. horizontal movable wrist engaging member extending across the front of the piano, and supporting and connecting means for supporting said vrist engaging member in advance of the keys of the piano and in a plane spaced a short distance above said keys, and operatively connecting said wrist engaging member with said stop, said means being foldable so as to permit said wrist engaging member to be folded into an inoperative position out of the Way of the player of the piano.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination with a piano; of a stop disposed adjacent the keys of the piano for holding the latteragainst movement after said stop has been moved into engagement with said keys, a horizontal movable wrist engaging member extending across the front of the piano, supporting and connecting means for supporting said wrist engaging member in advance of the keys of the piano and in aplane spaced a short distance above said keys, and operatively connecting said Wrist engaging member with said stop, and including a slidable member mounted upon the tor ard keysupporting portion of the piano, said means being such as to permit said Wrist engaging member to be swung doivi'nvardly to an inoperative position out of the way of the player thereof.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination with a piano; of a pair of brackets mounted upon the forward key supporting portion o the piano, a horizontal rail pivotally connected to said brackets, said rail extending across the front of the piano in ad 'ance of the keys thereof and dis posed in a plane spaced a short distance above said keys, a horizontal bar disposed beneath said keys for engaging and holding the latter against movement, and a pair of in-shaped arms connected at one of their ends to said rail and having their other ends engaged with said bar to actuate the latter upon the actuation of the former.

7. in a device of the class described, the

combination With a piano; of a pair of foldable brackets connected to the for and part of the piano, a horizontal rail pivotally connected at its rear edge to said brackets, said rail extending across the front of the piano in advance of the keys thereof and disposed in a plane spaced a short distance above said keys, a horizontal bar disposed below said l zeys for holding the latter against movement after said stop has been moved into engagement with said keys, and a pair of toldable arms rigidly connected at one of their ends to said rail. and having their other ends ongaged with said bar for actuating the latter upon movement of said rail.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of tWO snbscritdng Witnesses.

AUGUST J. KIT: EL.

Witnesses JOHN Boss,

(hmnL-ns A. ltivmno.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Gominissioner of Patents, Washington, G. 

